Reunions
by Cheeseburger of Doom
Summary: The Golden Pair fic in the same universe as Chains of Blood. Discoveries, decisions, and an ending... but also a beginning.


A/N: Here is yet another spinoff of "Chains of Blood". The Golden Pair version! Er, it's probably best if you read Chains of Blood first. Then again, you could always read this and then read Chains of Blood! And my fic Bitten and Bound is in the same universe as well...Er, anyway. This is twenty years after the goings on with Momo and Sengoku (it takes place before the little epilogue, which is one hundred years later) and it stars...the Golden Pair! Yay! I don't even know if I like it or not. The end is pretty depressing, but if you've read Chains of Blood you already know that so...aaah, I guess I need a second (and third and fourth and so on) opinion so...please read and review! Thank ye!

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Reunions

Kikumaru Eiji couldn't put his childhood crush out of his mind. It had been twenty years, and he could not forget Oishi Syuichirou. He'd been that wonderful...

Of course, he'd said goodbye to Oishi right after junior high. Oishi had told him he was moving away, and that they wouldn't be meeting again any time soon. In fact, he'd said they probably wouldn't ever meet again.

Kikumaru had been crushed. His world had crumbled. He'd realized that they might not necessarily go to the same high school, and that they might have to part ways at some point, but...he'd thought they might keep in touch, even if he was moving away...But no. Oishi hadn't even written him one letter, and Oishi had gone away without giving him an address...

And for twenty years, Kikumaru's heart had stayed broken. He'd loved -- and he still loved -- Oishi that much. He supposed it was silly, to be so obsessed over someone he'd fallen in love with when he was fourteen years old, but...He couldn't help it.

He'd gone through school and he'd become a gym teacher. He had never really thought of that possibility until his second year of high school, when one of his teachers remarked that he had enough energy to do just that. And now, here he was, teaching fourteen-year-old kids how to keep in shape. 

At thirty-four, Kikumaru Eiji was in top condition. His face had a few more lines, his hair was cut shorter (he'd long ago lost the flips) and he no longer wore a bandage at all times on his face. He was still very thin, and still very agile, and although his face had lost some of his boyishness...He was much the same as he had been at fourteen years old, especially in his personality.

He'd kept in touch with a few of his former team-mates, but over the years, they spoke less and less. They got older, and things changed, and it was difficult to think of the past. However, Kikumaru could think of nothing but the past. He could think of nothing but the boy he'd been pining over for twenty years. He'd never gotten over Oishi Syuichirou, and he knew deep down that he never would.

He'd never married. He'd never even dated after Oishi had said goodbye. He'd gotten offers, but even years later, those offers just seemed empty. He didn't want to date random people that he cared nothing about. It was Oishi he wanted -- still wanted. It would be Oishi he pined over forever.

He'd tried to look Oishi up. He'd done search after search for his long lost friend, but with no results whatsoever. After a few years, he'd given up hope on that. He'd given up hope on just about anything.

No one knew about his obsession. No one knew that beneath the still-cheerful exterior, Kikumaru Eiji was crying over a lost love. He didn't want anyone to know.

He wanted to try and forget how much he still loved Oishi Syuichirou. He wanted to hate Oishi for abandoning him, for just dismissing his feelings and leaving...but how could he hate him? Kikumaru had never confessed to his true feelings. Maybe if he had...but he'd been too afraid of rejection. He'd been too afraid of everything.

It was too late now. It had been too late for many, many years. 

~~~~~

Kikumaru sat curled up in a chair, watching TV. It seemed that there was nothing good on, and he kept flipping the channels every five seconds. Twenty years had done nothing to improve his patience.

He heard a knock at the door. 

Who could that be? He wondered. He was not short on acquaintances, but lately, he didn't have any real friends that would actually want to come to his house to visit him. It just seemed like he couldn't get close to anyone anymore. He was feeling a little lonely.

He flung open the door, not bothering to look out first (that was just the sort of person Kikumaru Eiji was) and when he saw who stood on the other side, his jaw dropped.

"Eiji..."

Oishi Syuichirou stood in front of him, with a miserable expression on his face. The fact that he was here was shocking enough, but on top of that, Oishi had not changed in twenty years. The Oishi that stood in his doorway was the Oishi of twenty years ago. That was impossible, though. There was no way Oishi could still be fourteen, unless he was stuck in some kind of time warp, and those things really didn't exist, did they?

"Eiji," Oishi repeated. "I couldn't help it. I had to see you."

"You...you..." Kikumaru was unable to form a real sentence. He was shocked to the core.

"Can I come in? I don't blame you if you hate me, and you say no..."

Kikumaru opened the door wider, and let Oishi come in. "I don't hate you," he finally managed to say, "But...why did you leave? And why are you...?"

Oishi sighed. He sat down on the couch, and Kikumaru sat down beside him, keeping a distance between them. He was still a little wary of this Oishi who had not changed.

"Like I said, I was in the area, and I knew you were here...and I couldn't help but come to see you, one last time. I've been keeping watch over you for these past twenty years, and it's been driving me crazy. I should have just tried to forget you, but I couldn't. I just couldn't! I had to make sure you were okay, so I had to keep watch over you..." The miserable look on his face increased. Kikumaru wondered what was going on inside his mind. His own mind was reeling. He still could not believe that Oishi had not changed _one bit_ in twenty years!

"I have too many dark secrets. I should never have come here," Oishi said, "But I couldn't help it. I love you too much, Eiji. I'm sorry."

Kikumaru blinked. "You're sorry that you love me? But Oishi...I've always...I've always loved you, too...why did you leave me if you...?"

"I had to leave because I love you. Because of the dark secrets I just mentioned." Oishi stood. "I can't tell you anymore than that, but...always remember that I love you. This time, it's goodbye for real."

"Wait." Kikumaru was shaking his head. "No, I'm not letting you leave that easily this time. It's been twenty years and I've been miserable the whole time because I missed my Oishi! Whatever happened to the Golden Pair? I thought we could tell each other everything, but you left me without even an explanation! I mean, I should have told you how I felt, but I...I couldn't..." Kikumaru was crying. A grown man of thirty-four, sobbing like a kitten. He couldn't help it. It was embarrassing, but he could not help it. He tried to dry his eyes on his sleeve, but he couldn't stop crying. Twenty years of heartache were pouring out...

He felt an arm around him. "I'm so sorry that I caused you this much pain," Oishi said softly. "I wish I could tell you...I wish that...I wish that we'd never met. You would have been better off without me."

Kikumaru slapped him. Oishi looked stunned.

"If I ever hear you say that again..." Kikumaru warned. "There is no way I would have been better off without you."

"Eiji, you don't understand --"

"No, I don't, and I'm not letting you leave until you explain it to me!" Kikumaru exclaimed.

"I can't...Eiji, if I do, you'll only get hurt..."

"I'm hurt already, Oishi," Kikumaru said quietly. "I hurt so much all the time...so please, just tell me why..."

Oishi felt his heart break. A heart that should not even have these feelings to begin with....He could not stand the sad look on Kikumaru's face. 

He did not want him to get hurt -- but since he was fourteen years old, he'd been hurting, anyway.

"Eiji...there's something about me that I never told you...that I should not tell you," Oishi said, slowly. "I...I don't know if you will believe this, but there is a world hidden within this one. A secret underground...of the...of the undead."

"Undead? Oishi, are you making fun of me?" Kikumaru demanded.

"No. I'm serious, Eiji."

Kikumaru examined the look on Oishi's face. He'd never been one to joke when it came to things that really mattered. Still, the undead?

"Undead, like vampires and stuff?"

"Yeah. Vampires, witches, shapeshifters, zombies, ghouls...and...and demons..."

"Even if that's all true, what does that have to do with you?" Kikumaru asked.

"Eiji. I'm a demon," Oishi said. There. It was out in the open. Finally. How would Kikumaru react?

He laughed. He threw back his head and laughed. "Wahaha, Oishi, a demon? Stop being silly! There's no way you..." Kikumaru stopped laughing when he realized the sad expression on Oishi's face hadn't really changed. In fact...it had gotten even sadder.

"You...you're not joking."

Oishi shook his head. 

"I don't believe it. I don't want to believe it. Oishi, please..."

Oishi hung his head. There was nothing he could say to make it better, because it was the truth. 

"Demons aren't supposed to fall in love with humans. I made it seem like my feelings for you were a part of my act...but they weren't. If they had found out, they would have...I don't even know what they would have done to you. The only way seemed to be...making you a demon, but...I didn't want to do that. Demons...they do terrible things," Oishi said. He felt tears coming into his eyes, now. "We...we even eat people, Eiji...I couldn't stand the thought of you doing that."

It was Oishi's turn to feel an arm around him, comforting him. "I never thought you were terrible, Oishi...even if you do those things...that's what you were born as, right? I mean...you can't help it, right?"

"I...I never ate...another..." Oishi shuddered. "After I met you, I couldn't do it anymore...That's why I am so weak."

"Oishi!" Kikumaru was suddenly hugging him tightly. Oishi found it hard to breathe, but he made no protest. "You should have told me before, at least I would have understood..."

"Don't you hate me? Don't you want to kill me?"

"Of course not! You've always been most important to me, even if you're not what I thought...you're still Oishi," Kikumaru said. "But I guess this explains why you haven't changed in twenty years, right?"

"Yeah. Well, I have to change my appearance and my name soon, so...that's why I wanted to see you, before I become someone else," Oishi said. "You can't tell anyone about the underworld though, Eiji...If any of the other undead find out you know, they'll..."

"I won't tell," Kikumaru said. 

"It's time for me to go," Oishi said. 

"No."

"I have to --"

"I said no. It's been twenty hellish years, and I'm not going through that again," Kikumaru said firmly. "This time the Golden Pair is going to stay together, no matter what I have to do."

"Eiji..."

"Even if you have to make me a demon, I don't care! I want to stay with you this time!"

The pleading look on Kikumaru's face reminded him of the one Kikumaru had always used twenty years ago, when he would try and make Oishi buy him dinner, or silly little things like that...The look had always worked then, and it was so tempting to give in to it now...

"There's just no way," Oishi said. "I'm not going to make you a demon. I won't do that to you."

"Just let me stay with you...Somehow..."

"I shouldn't have come here," Oishi said. He started to walk away.

"Damn you, Oishi!" Kikumaru grabbed his arm. "I am not letting you go!"

Oishi stared at the hand grasping his arm. He could easily push Kikumaru away. He was a demon after all, and much stronger than humans, even in his weak state. He didn't want to push him away though. For twenty years, he'd been watching him -- keeping track of him -- wanting to be with him, even though it was against every rule he had to follow. There were many undead breaking that rule these days, but it usually ended up in the human having to join the underworld -- and that was the last thing Oishi wanted.

Kikumaru sort of collapsed into Oishi's arms. Before either of them knew what was happening, they were kissing. It was a kiss full of twenty years' worth of wanting, needing...

"Hey, I hate to break this up, but you have more company," said a familiar voice.

"Momo?" Kikumaru blinked at Momoshiro, who had also not changed in twenty years. He was one of those that Kikumaru had lost touch with...

"What are you doing here? How did you get in?"

"I followed Oishi, because I thought he was going to do something stupid, and I was right," Momo replied. "As to how I got in...I have my ways."

"Don't forget about me."

"Eh? Sengoku too? You two...in junior high, you were..." 

"Sort of," Momo replied. "We weren't actually a couple until a little while later, but that was about the time I discovered the underworld and -- well, I won't bore you with details, but...Sengoku has an idea."

"An idea?" Oishi asked.

"Yeah, you know...how you two can stay together and be sappy forever, that kind of thing..."

"Momo!" Sengoku said, with a laugh. "You're always so tactful..." He turned to Kikumaru and Oishi. "Listen, both of you...You should talk to Fuji. He and his family hid from the underworld for a long time, so he should have some suggestions for you. If anyone can help you, it's him."

"Fuji too?" Kikumaru felt a little dizzy. Fuji had been one of his best friends, and he'd never even guessed...

"Yes, Eiji...Fuji too..." said another familiar voice, and out of the shadows stepped...

"You brought Fuji?" Oishi gave Momo and Sengoku a rather pathetic look.

"We like to come prepared. You've been moping around for years, so we thought we'd help you out," Momo replied cheerfully.

"Fuji! It's good to see you again!" Kikumaru exclaimed, and he hugged his old friend.

"You look very good for your age," Fuji said, with that same old smile.

"Well, so do you. I'm guessing you're a lot older than you look."

"Hm, maybe just a little...Now, as for you two...I know how you can stay away from the underworld, but it's going to involve leaving everything you have behind. Can you do that, Eiji? Can you do that -- for Oishi?"

"Of course," Kikumaru replied. He didn't even need to think about it. His twenty years of pain were over. He smiled at Oishi, and Oishi finally smiled back.

They would finally be together...

"Oishi, you know that Eiji will die eventually," Fuji said quietly, so that Kikumaru could not hear. "You know that he will leave you eventually, if you don't change him into a demon."

"I know that, but I can't do it. I can't ruin who he is. I love him as a human..."

Fuji nodded. "Of course you do, but can you take the pain at the end?"

"I will. Just...don't mention this to Eiji. He might think of it himself, but until then..."

"I understand."

"What are you two whispering about?" Kikumaru demanded, hands on hips. He was still just as nosy as ever.

"Nothing, Eiji. Just your wedding plans," Fuji replied.

"W...wedding?"

"Of sorts."

Wedding. That sounded nice. Oishi reached out and took Kikumaru's hand. They would be together for a long time...

~~~~~

The past twenty years had been a wonderful time for Kikumaru. He and Oishi had hidden themselves away from the underworld according to Fuji's instructions, and they'd been living with the rest of Fuji's family, who still refused to show themselves in the underworld, even though Fuji had made himself known. [For more details on Fuij's story, see Chains of Blood] 

"Oishi..." Kikumaru said. Oishi was by his side, holding his hand. Even after so many years, he still called Oishi by that name -- because that was how he always thought of him. His Oishi.

"Yes, Eiji?"

"Do you still...love me...even though I'm an old man now?"

"You're not even that old by human standards, Eiji, and you're still beautiful," Oishi replied. Kikumaru thought he could detect tears in those words.

"Oishi...are you crying?"

"Yes, Eiji, I'm crying. I don't want you to leave me now."

"I guess I have to go eventually, right? And... I feel so tired...I'm sorry that I got sick."

"I'm so sorry that there's nothing anyone can do for you. I don't want you to leave me yet, Eiji."

"I know you don't, but you always refused to make me a demon..."

"Because I knew you didn't want to be one."

"Well...you love Kikumaru Eiji the human, right?" Eiji smiled, and reached up to touch his beloved Oishi's cheek.

"Yes. I always will."

"I'm sorry...that I...." Eiji coughed. "That it's ending so soon..."

Oishi leaned forward and buried his face in Kikumaru's chest. "I promise that I will come after you, Eiji. I hope that I can go to the same place as you, but...you are going somewhere beautiful, and I'm afraid that I'll be sent somewhere dark..."

"I won't let them send you there," Kikumaru said. His voice was fading. "I won't let them take my Oishi away, so...I'll be seeing you soon, ne, Oishi? Together forever...in a place...that is...so much better..."

Oishi felt Kikumaru's hand go limp. He sobbed harder. 

"You always knew this would happen." 

Oishi nodded wordlessly, unable to speak through his tears.

"I'll tell Momo and Sengoku that it finally happened. This is probably goodbye, isn't it?"

Oishi nodded again, and turned to look at Fuji, whose smile had disappeared for once.

"Thank you for everything, Fuji."

Fuji nodded. "I'm happy to have been able to help you."

Oishi walked past him. "I'm going to a priest...I'm going to have myself exorcised."

"I know you are. I hope you two will always be happy."

"I hope so, too. Goodbye, Fuji."

"Goodbye."

Oishi disappeared into the night, and Fuji gazed at the still form of Kikumaru on the bed. He looked very peaceful, and there was even a little smile on his face. He was happy, wherever he was -- and he was waiting for Oishi to join him there.

~~~~~


End file.
